Sol columnist Özgür Şen wrote on the actuality of socialism in Turkey, underlining that the country has sufficient material resources and workforce to make a great transformation towards a life with humane conditions if the capitalists controlling the relations of production are overthrown by the working classes. Reminding that the people are the only power that can change all this system of exploitation and oppression, he stresses that hope also grows despite all this darkness and obscurantism.
We don’t have to live like this in the New Year
When people look at Turkey today, they can see development and devastation at the same time. The development bears upon the workers who are the major source of wealth in this country, while the devastation is about the parasites continuously exploiting these people.
Let’s address the industrial structure of Turkey as an example. There is a foreign-dependent production infrastructure in Turkey due to the preferences of capitalists. On the other hand, the working class of this country, from the engineers to the apprentices, is highly qualified, and the existing production potential is directly related to this qualified workforce. Turkey has an industrial power to swiftly leap forward when the relations of production are revolutionized and the parasitic capitalists are eliminated.
The construction sector, for instance. This sector carrying on unproductive business at the loss of the public interests due to the cupidity of the capitalists has a strong potential to provide Turkey livable and comfortable residences when looking from a different viewpoint.
It is true that agriculture and livestock breeding in Turkey have been subjected to widespread devastation. Yet, considering the technological advancement and our human resource, Turkey is a country that has the potential to feed its population in the most appropriate and correct way.
Yes, education is in the throes of death because of marketization and Islamic obscurantism. The scientific quality of universities is getting worse day by day while children are forced to choose between private schools and Islamic imam hatip schools. Nevertheless, Turkey could become a country having both the workforce source and material facilities that would offer equal and scientific education to all of its children and young people with a progressive curriculum in a short span of time.
Today you may wait even one year for medical monitoring in the public hospitals or you may meet a lot of difficulties to get examined by the ‘‘right’’ physician in Turkey. However, this field, which is clearly mismanaged, can also be transformed into an equal and free healthcare system for everyone. The tangible infrastructure of the healthcare system and the essence of healthcare workers are quite applicable to this transformation.
Transportation, telecommunication, and other examples are not different. As long as all these areas are transformed based on public ownership and are properly managed, there is no reason for not implementing equal and free public services in Turkey we are talking about.
Turkey is being mismanaged because it is ruled by a group of capitalists and their representatives. All resources of Turkey are being used for the benefit of a handful of ‘‘privileged’’ people; almost all of the wealth produced in the country is shared by the same people. As a matter of the fact that this wealth is so great that we, like the rest of the population, are able to continue to live with what remains. Of course, if you call it ‘‘to live’’.
We don’t have to live like this.
Turkey’s human and material resources are ready for a great transformation. Everyone in Turkey can work in any jobs without having concerns for the future. All citizens can get equal and free education and healthcare services. We might not have to worry about our children and the youth. Housing acquisition should no longer be a problem. Everyone can also have a holiday inside Turkey every year without worrying about financial issues, and everyone can have the luxury to dine out with their friends and beloved ones once in a while.
Do you think it is a daydream? These possibilities may seem like a flight of imagination under the current circumstances of Turkey because the means and wealth to put them into practice are in the hands of the capitalist class.
Yet, in fact, these are utterly realistic and achievable goals considering the same facilities and wealth. Under the conditions in which the working class producing all the wealth rules Turkey, no goals are hard or unachievable.
The arguments that ‘‘socialism cannot be achieved’’ are pretty far behind the actuality. Today, we are able to meet not only the basic needs of people but also far beyond them in accordance with the egalitarian approach and free of charge with the help of an understanding putting an end to private property and effective planning that takes the advantage of all technological opportunities.
Development and devastation… This social order provides development at the expense of people’s blood and labor. To top it all off, it ravages while developing, and thus destroys its own development. The dual characteristic of capitalism becomes clear, and its contradictory structure is gradually getting deeper and deeper. Yet, hope is also growing despite all of the darkness.
We don’t have to live like this in the New Year. Just let us not forget that we are the only power that can change all of these. Yes, the physical infrastructure for such a great transformation is ready and this is all well and good. Yet, we as the people are actually the growing hope.
